The Portland daily press., 1887-06-11

lie, VIII yer"
nodded an answer, and he went to his
house and we canvassed the peculiar condi-
tion of society where such teachings wera
obtained. The night was a long and weary
one, and as / went down the muddy road to
visit and relieve the yidettes, / longed for
morning. AT o'clock Sunday morning. the
10Th, all WEAKNESS disappeared. Sharp,
steady firing was heard out on the Mill
Springs road 1t was showing heavily, but
melting and invisible as it struck the ground.
Back toward us came the firing, as the men
OF the Tenth Indiana fell before what we at
last found to be the whole Confederate force
under Zollicoffer and Crittenden. Col. Man
son held the army at bay with his regiment,
until at daylight the Second Minnesota, the
Ninth Ohio, the Fourth Kentucky and the
Tenth Indiana, under Thomas, formed line
of battle to stay the advance. From where
l stood on the bank Of Fishing Creek the
scene was indescribably grand. The line of
battle could be followed by the cloud of white
vapor rising from the rattling musketry,
swinging now this way, now that, the shouts
of commanders, the boom of the cannon, the
steady, continuous roll of musketry. saw
all the squads called away until only my lit
tie squad was left. Were we forgotten?
Here men, cock your pieces! Here comes a
squad of cavalry down to the crossing.
'Halt, who goes there?"
"Woolford's cavalry, with dispatches"
Advance one dismounted and give the
countersign at the waters edge"
General Scott"
Correct. Advance ALL"
Some one touched my shoulder, and l
turned to find old Peyton Baxter at my side
with his long rifle. 'Ef you une do any
shootin' give me chance" and he smiled.
"All right" said, keep with the men
and keep quiet"
Around the right of our distant line of bat
tie came squad of Zollicoffer's reserve cav
alry--a dozen of them sent to look for an op-
portunity to get in the rear of Thomas.
Handsome horses they were on, and all had
grey and black uniforms and jingling sabres.
The men saw them and cooked their pieces
in silence. "You need not fire, 4" / said, 'as
soon as they see us they will turn
"Now, sergeant" said the old man. 'now
give me one Shot"
"All right, that will turn them,n, / said.
The long rifle dropped into his left hand
and its muzzle was slowly elevated. AS it
came to level it was discharged, and sound
ed in the foggy morning air like the cracking
of stage drivers whip. The little squad
of cavalry was in confusion for a moment
and then turned and galloped away.
Sixty rods, if it was foot" said the old
man; "but it turned em and / have had one
shot in the wah'
Suddenly we heard familiar sound, the
three distinct cheers of the Ninth Ohio and
Second Minnesota when charging; the same
distinct cheers which were heard under
Brannan at Chicamauga and under Baird
at Mission Ridge. 1t was the charge which
destroyed the right wing of the rebel army
of the Southwest Now the sounds grew
distant. Further and further away as
thunder storm dies away in the west. At
last all was silent, only the hurrying ammu-
milton wagons to the front, and l was left
alone with my handful of men. Hal a cou-
rier! The message said:
Join your company as soon as possible.
Zollicoffer is dead, his army whipped and in
full retreat. Follow the road to Mill Springs
and join your command"
Then we marched across our first battle
field. Here arow of Louisiana Tigers as
they fell before the mercless musketry.
Here half dozen Of the Yallabasha Rifles
with the gilt letters on their gray caps.
Here several OF our own blueclad boys with
open eyes and arms spread wide. Here
comes litter with man upon it with one
leg gone and the tourniquet on the stump to
efqU flQ H0rV nf hlnn6 Rtf br,rr ;e
yictory AT O'Clock we are with our COM
mand and listening to the hurtling shells
sent down into Mill Spring by Kinney's bat
terry. Was ever such sight seen before?
All confusion. Thousands of dismayed men.
Thousands of frantic cavalry, artillery and
team horses mixed up in inextricable con-
fusion. On the morning of the goth we
marched down into the deserted camp.
Watches are ticking on officers tables for
gotten in the awful fright. The paymaster's
trunk stands open and forgotten with $500 in
gold and $4,000 in Southern State bills.
Wounded men are dead in their beds. Break
fast is still cooking on blazing fires. All the
baggage of an army stands in 800 wagons.
Some of the men grew rich in plunder Some
in sport donned rich gray uniforms and strut
ted as rebel brigaders. 1t was a saturnalia
OF war, never again to be equalled until
Richmond was given up to the flames by her
own citizens. A doctors office complete
furnished its costly steel instruments and
gilded medicine chests as prey to laughing
soldiers. Haversacks were filled with sugar
from the deserted stores, and canteens were
filled with applejack to the sure destruction
0f diCpnlinQ ond O0od Tba
day l was sent back with detail to assist
the Pioneers in burying the dead and remoY-
ing the heavy camp equipage to Somerset.
How silent now the trampled fields of Lc-
gan's crossroads A temporary hospital in
log house contained the werst wounded,
and few low mounds covered the 100 dead
men of the rebel army and 80 Of the Union
forces. Sadly walked over the torn ground
and down to the vidette post where had en-
dured such agony Of mind. A thought came
into any mind. and 1 crossed the now rapidly
lowering Fishing Creek and went to the hill
side, where the dashing band of cavalry had
been turned by the old mau's shot, AsI
came near it great lazy buzzard arose and
perched on fence near. There was some,
thing on the ground there. 1t was a tall
form in gray uniform and with the black
banded trousers of the cavalry. 1t was ON
its back, the head turned back near gray
cap with band of gold. A scar on the
forehead and exactly in the centre small
blue pouting wound. Where had heard of
such scar? Where had heard of such
wound in the forehead? Eagerly / bent
down and turned the jacket pocket. A copy
nf fI,o ;oI ~ a A
ter, Logan's crossroads, 1861"
They tell us that it takes 10 pounds of
lead to kill a man in war. What irony o
fate is thisl One shot, fired by father in
contest where millions of bullets fly wild,
reaches its mark as accurately as if guided
by the hand of fate. In sight of his child
hoods home-but l forbear. buried him
there and buried the book with him after
tearing out the tell-tale leaf Will eternity
reveal the strange events covered by the